Improvement in steam-plows



UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-PLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8,446, dated October 20, 1857.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. GRAY, of Fair Play,in the county of Grant and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Plow to be Operated or Propelled by Steam; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in whieh--,

Figure 1 is a side view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of same, mm, Fig. 1, showing the plane of section. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the principal working parts of same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists in driving or propelliugthemachine by means of two or more screwshafts provided with right and left threads and rotated in opposite directions, and using, in connection with the screw-shaft, adjustable wheels and gang-plow shares, the whole being so arranged, as will be hereinafter fully shown and described, that an efficient, simple, and durable implement is obtained, one that is not liable to get out of repair, and may be operated or managed by an attendant with the greatest facility.

To enable those skilled in the artto fully understand and construct my invention, 1 will proceed to describe it. v

Arepresents a horizontal rectangular frame, which may be constructed of wood or metal. To the front and back ends of the frame'A there are attached two pendent plates, B B 5 and O 0 represent two shafts, which are fitted longitudinally within the frame A, the journals of the shafts being fitted in the upper parts of the plates B B. The two shafts O O are parallel with each other, and are connected by gear-wheels D D, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

E E represent two screw-shafts, the journals of which are fitted in the lower parts of the platesB B. The spiral flanges or screw-threads a of these shafts may extend the whole length of the shafts, or only a certain portion of their length. In Figs. 1 and 3 a section of aflange or screw is shown at each end of the shafts E E. The thread a on one shaft is placed in a reverse direction to that of the other, one being a right and the other a left hand screw. On one end of each shaft E E a pinion, F, is

placed. The pinion on the shaft E is secured permanently to it; but the pinion on the shaft E is allowed to slide thereon, but is made to turn with it by means of the usual fealherand groove. This pinion may be moved on the shaft E by a lever, G, the lower end of which is connected to thepinion bya fork,b, the ends of which fit in a grooved flange or collar, 0, attached to thepinion. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) The wheels D D gear into the pinions F F, and the pinion on the shaft E being permanent-1y attached to said shaft, said pinion is always in gear with its wheel D; but as the pinion F on the shaft E is movable, as shown, it may, when desired,be thrown out of gear with its wheel D.

H H represent two bars, placed one at each side of the panel A. One end of these bars are pivoted to the lower ends of upright bars I, which are fitted in one end of the frame A, and the opposite ends of the bars are pivoted to the lower ends of uprights J, which pass through the opposite end of the frame A. The uprights J have each a connecting-rod, d, attacl1ed,and these rods are connected to cranks c at the ends of a shaft, K, which is fitted and has its hearings in the upper parts of vertical barsff, attached to the frame A. This shaft K is prevented from rotating by means of a catch, 9, which is allowed to pass into either of a series of notches made in the periphery of a circular hub or disk, h, on the shaft K. The catch g is kept in the notches by a spring, 01, as shown in Fig. 2.

The upright bars I are fitted permanently'in the frame A, or are so fitted in the frame that they may be adjusted occasionally as may be necessary; but the uprights J are allowed to work freely up and down in the frame, and are retained in proper position by the catch g.

To the end of the frame A, opposite to the end where the vertical bars f f are attached, similar bars, j, are secured, and thejonrnals of a shaft, L, have their bearings in the upper part of the bars j. On each shaft K L a driver or pulley, M, is secured.

N N represent two wheels, which are fitted on an axle, O. The ends of this axle pass through the bars H H.

P 1? represent two bars, which are attached to the upper part of the frame A. The inner ends of these bars are bent upward, andascrew rod or shaft, Q, is fitted between them, said screw rod or shaft having a hand-wheel, R, placed upon it. A nut, S, is fitted on the rod or shaft Q, and the upper end of a lever, T, is attached to the nut S, the lower end of the lever being attached to a sliding shaft, U, the ends of which pass through, and have their hearings in the longitudinal bars V V, attached to the lower ends of the plates B B.

W W represent two bars, the inner ends of which are attached to the shaft U. The-outer end of each bar W has a bar, X, attached to it at right angles, and the ends of the bars X have upright lips or ledges is attached, and shafts or IudS l are fitted between these ledges, the shaftsor rods beingparallel with the bars X.

On each shaft or rod 1 two arms,zz,are placed loosely, and a plowshare,A, is attached to the outer end of each arm Z. The shares A at both ends of the machine both face or point inward, as shown in Fig. 1.

To the outer end of each arm Z acord or chain, m, is attached. These cords or chains pass over the pulleys or drums M. There are two cords or chains, each cord or chain being secured to an arm at each end of the machine. The operation is as follows Poweris applied to one of the shafts G, a steam-engine being placed on the frame A, arranged in any proper way. The screw-shafts E E are rotated in consequence of the wheels D gearing into the pinions F F. When the screw-shafts are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows 1 the machine will be propelled in the direction of arrow 2, the screw threads or flanges a penetrating the ground; and the screw threads or flanges are relieved of any unnecessary pressure or weight by the wheels N, which may be adjusted by turning or adjusting the shaft K, and thereby actuating the bars H H. The shares A A at each end of the machine are placed one a little in advance of theother, and when the sharesat one end of the frame are depressed and in operation those at the opposite end are raised. (See Fig. 1.)

The motion of the machine is reversed by merely reversing the movement of the screwshafts, and the shares A A may be adjusted laterally by turning the hand-wheel R,so that the shares will serve as a steering device or means of guiding the machine.

The machine is not turned around bodily, as it is provided with shares at both ends and may he moved in either direction; but it is essential that it may be moved laterally, in order that it may be placed properly to turn the succeeding furrows. This is effected by turning the pinion F on the screw-shaft E out of gear with its wheel D. This will allow both screw-shafts to rotate in the same direction and cause the machine to be moved laterally to the desired spot.

The above machine may be made quite light, because the screws will take hold and sink a requisite distance in the earth.

Steam-plows which have hitherto been devised have been made quite heavy and cumbersome, so that sufficient friction might be created in order to prevent the slipping of the wheels and insure the propelling of the machine. My implement is extremely simple and may be constructed at a small cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The screwshafts E E, (two or more,) provided with right and left threads or flanges a, and arranged and operated substantially as shown, or in an equivalent way, for the purpose of propelling the machine both in a direct line and laterally, as described.

2. The adj ustable wheels NN,when arranged and applied to the machine as shown, for the purpose specified.

3. Connecting the arms Z Z to the bars W, which are operated or actuated by the lever T, in combination with the shares A A, attached to the swinging arms Z Z, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

,JOHN R. GRAY.

Witnesses:

ELLIO1 O. HUGINs,

JOHN WAYNE. 

